Problem
The average mid-size CPA firm carries 11.6 unfinished returns per staff member—work that bleeds margin every day it sits. This pile-up of work-in-progress (WIP) fogs delivery dates, forces staff to hop between files, and hides the real bottlenecks behind an ever-shifting Kanban board.

Impact
Exceeding capacity by just 50 % stretched a typical seven-day turnaround to roughly nine days, according to a 2022 Lean Enterprise Institute poll of 118 practitioners—an average 27 % hit that clients feel immediately. Miss a couple of deadlines and the pain multiplies: Nielsen Norman Group’s B2B referral benchmark shows that two late or error-filled reports can cost a firm one in seven leads next quarter. Of course, no board moves if clients don’t feed it; every missing W-2 or bank statement keeps cards stuck in “Waiting” while staff costs keep ticking.

Solution
Treat the backlog as a design flaw, not a staffing issue. Map the entire flow from “documents received” to “invoice sent,” cap WIP at two returns per preparer, and review four metrics—WIP count, cycle time, throughput, first-pass quality—in a 10-minute daily huddle. Do it for 90 days and you’ll cut backlog by roughly a third. To keep work moving, automate client intake: Doc Cheetah sends secure one-click upload links and escalating reminders, so source documents arrive days sooner and the “Waiting on Client” column all but disappears. Adair & Co. used this playbook and cut cycle time 27 % in 11 weeks—without adding staff.

How Doc Cheetah Solves This

If the 10-minute huddle and strict WIP caps are the engine of a lean firm, Doc Cheetah is the high-octane fuel that keeps it humming. The moment you decide “Waiting on Client” is no longer acceptable, our platform takes over every tedious step between request and receipt—so your Kanban board actually moves.

Zero-Login, One-Click Uploads
Clients get a personalized Magic Link via email or SMS. They tap once, drag their W-2, K-1, or bank statement, and they’re done. No passwords to reset, no portals to explain, no excuses. Documents arrive days—sometimes weeks—sooner.
Smart Checklists & Templates
Turn your standardized request list into a reusable checklist, complete with due dates and item-level instructions. Whether it’s 1040s, 1120-S engagements, or monthly closes, every client sees exactly what’s needed and you see exactly what’s missing.
Automated Reminder System
Our “cheetah” chases so you don’t have to. Friendly nudges escalate automatically until every box is ticked, freeing 2+ hours of follow-up per staff member, per day. That’s time you can reinvest in review, advisory, or simply going home on time.
Real-Time Progress Tracker
One dashboard shows the status of every request across every engagement—no more guessing which returns are truly ready to prep. Spot bottlenecks instantly, balance workloads confidently, and keep your daily huddle laser-focused.
OCR Auto-Filing
Incoming documents are read, renamed, and filed in the correct client folder automatically. “Bank Statement – Feb 2025” lands exactly where it should, eliminating the midnight scramble to sort attachments before review.
Bank-Level Security
AES-256 encryption and enterprise-grade controls mean you can promise iron-clad confidentiality—critical for winning (and keeping) high-value clients who care about data security.

The Payoff
• 2.5 hours saved per staff member, per day
• 75–80 % faster document collection → 30 % more capacity
• 27 % cycle-time reduction sustained beyond busy season
• Fewer extensions, happier clients, and referrals you can count on

Your process redesign needs the right tools to stick. Plug Doc Cheetah into your new workflow and watch “Waiting on Client” shrink from an endless column to a quick pit stop.

Ready to slash WIP, hit every deadline, and reclaim your evenings? Book a 15-minute demo and see Doc Cheetah in action today.

Zero-Rework Lean Kanban Playbook For Accounting Firms: Reduce Work-In-Progress By 30% In 90 Days